Minecraft developer Studio Mojang revealed this week that Oculus Rift support aimed at making the massively popular building-block construction sim more immersive and absorbing than ever is in the works.
Oculus Rift support will roll out as part of a free beta release for Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition, which is set to premiere “in the coming weeks,” according to Mojang.
Minecraft‘s upcoming Oculus Rift launch will follow up on the recent introduction of Gear VR support for its mobile counterpart Minecraft Pocket Edition. Pocket Edition offers a scaled-back experience compared to Minecraft‘s Windows 10 release, however, and Oculus Rift compatibility marks the first time that fully fledged PC Minecraft worlds will be explorable using a dedicated VR headset, rather than a head-mounted smartphone.
Mojang’s Oculus Rift announcement arrives on the first anniversary of Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition‘s initial beta release, and the studio outlines many of the project’s recent milestones in a reflective blog post.
“We’ve bred bunnies of many colors, given squid a fear of mortality and set baby zombies astride squawking avian steeds,” Mojang’s Marsh Davies recalls. “We unleashed the power of Redstone and found new ways for players to devise elaborate devices. We introduced our cross-platform Realms service, so players could own always-online worlds just for them and their friends, and play on them with minecrafters on mobile devices.”
Thursday also marks the launch of a new “Villains” skin pack for Minecraft: Pocket Edition, which will give creative players more options when building and exploring superheroic worlds. Additional skins are available via add-on packs for Minecraft‘s many console ports, including the recently released Minecraft: Wii U Edition, which offers its own exclusive set of Mario-themed items and decorations.
A specific launch date for Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition‘s Oculus Rift support is not yet known.
